Automatic gun.



E. W. ANDERSON.

AUTOMATIG GUN.

YApplication filed Feb. 24 woo.) 6350 Model.) 7 Sheets-$heet No!521,062. Patented Apr; 2, I90l.

WITNESSES:

A mum; vs.

Patented Apr. 2, 590%. E. W. ANDERSON AUTOMATIC GUN.

( lication filed Feb. 24, 190g.)

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No. 671,062. Patented Apr. 2, I981.

E. W. ANDERSON.

AUTDHA'HC sun. I Application filed Feb. 24, i900.

7 Sheets-$heei 3.

(No Modal.)

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INYENNW v ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 2, l90l. E. W; ANDERSUN.

Aummfiti GUN. .1 Application filed Feb. 24} ibfi i We Medal) m wsw 70/;

2'10. 67I,062. Patented Apr.2, I901.

E. w. ANDERSON. AUTOMATIC sun.

:Application filed Feb. '24, 1900 (NuModelJ 1 Sheets-Sheet 5.

F5970? @9166 INVENTOR W W W a 9"? I I r I ATTORN Y8,

. Patenfed Apr; 2, |90L No. 67l,062.

j E. W. ANDERSON.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

I Application filed Feb. 24', 1900;:

1 $heets8heet 1.

(No Model.)

MIA/5895s.-

Ana/May s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l ll)\\"ARl \YlLLlAM ANDERSON, Ol "\\'l'l"l()N, II'GLANI).

AUTOMATlC GUN,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,062, dated April 2,190] hpplicrnsion filed February 241 19 Serial No 6,328. No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it knownthat-l, EDWARD \VILLIAM AN- DERSON, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Brit-- ain and Ireland, residing at Lion \Vorks, Witton, in thecounty of iVarwick, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Guns, (for which 1 have made application forLetters Patent in Great Britain, No. 15,312, dated July 25, 1899,) ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is, first, to provide an automaticdrum-chine gun of few and simple parts of the type in which theprojectiles are discharged in rapid sequence from a single barrel, theoperations of loading, firing, and ejecting beingperforn1ed,prefe'rably, by suitable mechanisms acquiring uotion throughthe agency of the energy of recoil of thebarrel and adjacent parts.

The second objectof the invention is to provide a machine orautomaticgun the mechanism of which may be quickly removed without the aid ofspecial tools for inspection or cleaning.

In carrying the'invention into effect I provide a rifled barrel ofsuitable weight to give the desired velocity and energy of recoil and.

mounted to slidein an axial direction through bushes or guides carriedupon the main frame of the gun. The barrel is water-jacketed or providedwith radiator-collars to prevent overheating. To the rear or breech endof the barrel I attach securely a receiver or frame, which carries onsuitable guides the bolt and firing mechanism, consisting of tumbler,striker,'mainspring, and scar.- The bolt is arranged to slide within thereceiver in the direction of the axis of the barrel. The rear end of thereceiver carries an axle or pin, which is provided with a crank and twocam-levers which engage fixed cams on the body of the gun to operate thebolt. The cartridgesto be fired are inserted in a bandoleer or belt, andsuch belt is then fed into the gun through an openin The bandoleer isfed forward as the cartridges are automatically withdrawn therefrom by alever operated by the reciprocation ofthe receiver. Spring-clips mountedupon the bolt clip the base of each cartridge in turn, and on thebackward movement of the bolt the cartridge iawithdrawn from thebandoleer. 0n the completion of the backward stroke of the bolt a levercarried on the receiver pushes the cartridge vertically downward into apocket formed by the bolt and frame in a position above the axis of thebarrel. At the next forward stroke of the bolt the cart-ridge is pushedinto and carried upon the receiver by a projection and there remains tobe pushed into the breech of the barrel by a suitablyarrangedspring-pawl on the next forward stroke of the bolt. At each backwardmovement of the bolt an extractor withdraws the fired cartridge-shellfrom the breech and ejects it through an opening formed in the mainframe. A spring attachml to the re ceiver serves to return it to itsforward position after each recoil. To fire the gun, a lever is pressed,which causes the sear to be withdrawn from the bent in thetumblciga nlon the backward stroke of the bolt a link connecting tl: bolt to thecrank above described serves to recock the tumbler, and on theconipletion of the next forward stroke of the bolt the scar is againoperated automatically, the 7 whole of the operations of loading,firing, and extracting continuing so long as the lever is depressed.Safety-catches are provided to pre vent accidental firing, and provisionis also made for operating the-mechanism by hand. In order that themechanism may be easily examined or taken apart, I provide the mainframe or case with a hinged lid or cover secured in its closed positionby a spring-catch. The rear end of the main frame or case is arranged toslide vertically in guides formed in the-sides of the main frame and issecuredin position by the locking of the catch which secures the hingedcover. The cartridge-feed o mechanism is arranged on a frame, which maybe removed on opening the hinged cover. To allow of the removal of thereceiver and bolt, slots are provided in the main case, extending in abackwarddirection and covered 5 b sliding doors or shutters, which maybe withdrawn after removing the rear end of the main case, By this meansthe whole mechanism is secured in position by one springcatch, which,however, is not in any way strained by the operation of firing the gun.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a gun constructed according to onemodification of my invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation in section on the center line of the main caseand inclosed mechanism for automatic firing, the parts be.

" but with parts of the mechanism removed for into the gun above thereceiver 1).

clearness a d the remaining pants shown in the position -assumedimmediately after firing. Fig. 3 shows the mechanism in the positionwhen the recoil of the barrel and receiver has progressed, but is notcomplete. Fig. 4 shows the mechanism when the recoil is complete and thebolt fully back ready for the return stroke. Fig. 5 is a plan of themain case with the coverremoved and showing the cartridge-feedmechanism. Figs. 6 and 7 are an elevation and plan of theremovable guideof the cartridge-feed mechanism. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are details of thecart-ridgefeed mechanism. Fig. 10- shows an alterna tive feedi'nechanisi'n. Fig. 11 is adetail View of the spring-clips carried uponthe bolt and arranged to withdraw the cartridges from the bandoleer.Fig. 12 shows the extractor for withdrawing the spent cases from thebreech of the barrel. Fig. 13 shows the cam-lever and parts forwithdrawing the bolt. Fig. 14 shows the axle carried by the receiver.Figs. 15 and 16 show detail views of the receiver. Fig. 17 is anelevation of the'mainframe or case. 4 Fig.- 18 shows the method ofejecting the spent case. Fig. 19 shows the safety-catch which engagesthe firing-pin.

For the purpose of description I will assume the mechanism to bein theposition for firing to'commence on the depression of the firinglever andthat the cartridges are already in position in the gun. This position ofthe mechanism is shown in Fig. l.v The carridgcs' are held in abandoleer a and are fed ,lips' c, mounted upon the block d, (shown indetail in Fig. 11,) carried upon the bolt 6, engage the base of thecartridge f. The bolt 6 is carried in the receiver 1) and 'is guided byribs, as g, and surfaces, as h. The bolt 6 carries a tumbler '11, sear1.1, mainspring l, and striker-pin m. The receiver is securely attached.to the barrel 0)., which slides axially through bushes -or guides, as 0,carried by the main case 1). The rear end of the receiver 1) is guidedin slots, as 1 and carries the axle r. The axle 'r', Fig. 14, carriestwo earn-lovers s t and crank-arms it, having a connecting rod or'lin k2;, attached to the bolt 6.. A spring 11 serves to keep the receiver 1)and barrel 1). in a forward position. A lever :11, carried upon the end11 of the main frame 1'), when depressed operates the sliding rod .2,thus pulling the scar it out of the bent and allowing the tumbler rf tofall andihestrikerpin-m to be driven forward by the spring 1 to lire thecartridge 1 within the breech of the barrel n.

- The position ol the mechanism at the instant ol' firing is shown inFig.2. For the sake of clearness the receiver and cartridgefeedmechanism are omitted in this figure. At the instant of movement of thebullet within the barrel on firing recoil commences.

The barrel 01, together wl ith the receiver b and bolt 6, moves bodilybackward in the main case 19, being guided in the supports 0 q.-

The cartridge 13 is prevented from being carried backward with the bolte'by'the springclips 35. During this movement several. op-

e rations are performed. Aftera slight movemerit the clips 0 engage (hehead er the car tridgefand withdraw it from the bandoleer a. At the sametime the cam-lever 3, carried on the axle 1", comes into contact withthe fixedstop 3, Fig. 1, on the main f'rainep, thus causing rotation ofthe axle r. Owing to the shape of the cam-lever s and fixed stop 3 therotation of the axle r is fairly rapid, and

.tlirough the agency of the crank-arm u and link i: the bolt 0 iswithdrawn from contact with the breech otthe barrel n and'slides With inthe receiver b. The extractor 43, Fig. 12, carried on the bolt e, thusengages the rim-of the j spent case'l and extracts it fIOH l the breech,as shownin. Fig. '3. The extractor 4: is so arranged that when the boltis in contact with the breech ofthe barrel the extractor-hook is clearof the rim of the cartridge 1, so as to allow the bolt to acquiremomentum before extraction commences. The revolution of the axle 1, andconsequent depression of the link 4), causes the projection 5 to engagethe toe of the tumbler 2" and recoeli the firing mechanism, asshown inFig. 3. As shown in'Fig. 3,

the receiver 5 and barrel a are almost fuily' recoiled, while the bolt eis withdrawn about v two-thirds of its full stroke in the receiver 1).The completion of the stroke ofthe bolt e is performed by the spring 6on the fixed stop When the recoil of 'the receiver 5 and stroke of thebolt e are complete, the mechanism is'in the position shown in Fig.4. Inpassing from the position shown in Fig; 3 to that-shown in Fig. 4 twoimportant changes have occurred. forced downward by the lever 7, carriedon the receiver 1), and rests ontop of the bolt e, its base being incontact with the block d. The lever 7 is operated by the roller 8,carried on the block (I, striking its rear cam-like end 9. through theopening 10 formed in the main frame p, Fig. 1'7, the ejection beingperformed The cartridge has been The spent 1 has been ejected by thefixed stop 11 engaging the base or: the

cartridge while the extractor 4icontinnesto move backward, thus givingto the case aretary inotio'n,as indicated by Fig. 18. During thebackward stroke of the bolt 6 the spring-pawl 12 has passed under thecartridge. 13, carried in the receiver 1), by tlieprojec- .tion l-i,Figs. 15 and 1G, and, as shown in 4, has risen up behind the cartridge13. The

pressure of the cartridge f on the tail of the spring-pawl 12 assiststhis movement. The mechanism is now ready to be returned-to the positionshown in Fig. 1 by the tension of frame 19 7 the spring-clips c engagethe base of the next cartridge in the bandolcer a which has been thespring w. On the forward movement of the receiver b and barrel n thecam-lever t, Fig. 17, strikes the fixed stop 15 on the main and causesrotation of the axle r to re'turn'the bolt e in a forward'directiou. Onthe forward movement of the bolt 6 in the receiver 1) the spring-pawl 12engages the base of the cartridge 13,,cansing it to pass downward andenter the breech of the barrel n by reason of the nose of the bulletsliding down the incline 17, formed within the receiver 27. The rim ofthe cartridge 13 falls behind the hook of the extractor 4. The cartridge f occupies the position recently vacated by the cartridge 13. Atthe same time the lever 7 is raised by the forward movement of the blockd, carried upon the bolt e, and

fed forward in a manner to be described. A stop 100 prevents the leverrising too high.

The forward'motion of the receiver-b and bolt' 2 being complete, themechanism is in the position shown in Fig.-1, and if the firing-lever asis still depressed the sear it will come into contact with the slidingrod 2 and the operations of firing, extraction, recocking, ejection, andreloading will be continued. The mechanism is so arrangedthat thecrankpin on thecrank-arm u is slightly above the center line, and bythis means the bolt 6 is prevented from blowing open at the instant offiring.

'lhe cartridge-feed mechanism is shown in plan at Fig. 5 and consists ofa bell-crank lever 18, attached to the guide 19, Figs. 6 and 7. One endof the lever 18 operates the slide 20, Fig: 10, causing it toreciprocate in grooves 21, formed Within the guide 19. is provided withpawls 22, which serve to feed the bandoleer a forward each stroke of theslide 20. The lever-18 is operated by a projection 23, carried upon thereceiverb at each forward stroke of the receiver. The baddoleer a,carrying the cartridges, is fed one place forwardto bring the nextcartridge into line with the clips 0 during the early part of theforward stroke of the receiver and remains stationary during the latterpart of the stroke when the clips 0 engage the cartridge. This isprovided for by the shape of the end of the lever 18, which engages theprojection 23. The projection 23 is provided with a notch 24 k to passthe projection 25 on the lever 18 at the shown in Fig.

- req u ircd time.

. The action is as follows: Assuming the mechanism in the position as 5,on the recoil stroke of the receiver 11 the projection is carried alongand strikes the lever.18,causing it to swing around and move the slide20, the pawls -22 passing over the next cartridge in the handoleer a andfalling into the depression between two cartridges. A pawl prevents thebandoleer being carried backward at these stages.

On the return stroke of :the receiver 17 the projection engages theprojection 25, causing the arm 18 to swing around and carry the shape ofthe slot- 38 the slide The slide 20' catch 37 and leaves theaxl'e Fig.10, having a suitably-shaped slot 38 engaging a stud 40 upon the slide20. The end 39 of the lever is always in contact with a projection 41 onthe receiver and has motionv at all times with the receiver. Owing tothe20 is operated whilethe stud 40 is in the radial portion, and when thereceiver has moved the necessary distance the st lt? $0 passes into thecircumferential part o the slot 38, and the slide 20 is consequentlystationary.

Safety-catches are provided to phevfent ac cidental discharge of thegrin. To" prevent the depression of the lever x, a spring-catch 27is'provided, which engages the end of the lever as, as shown-in Fig. 1,so that before the lever x can be depressed the spring-catch 27 must beraised. On the release of the lever .73 the spring-catch resumes itsposition, as shown in Fig. 1. A safety-catch 28, Fig. 19, is alsoprovided on thebolt e to prevent premature discharge of the firingmechanism. As shown in" Fig. 4, the spring-catch 28 engages thestriker-pin m and preventsthe said striker-pin being operated by thespring 1 IOO before the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 1.-On the mechanism passing from the position shown in Fig. 4 to thatshown in Fig. l the projection 5 on the link 1) raises the spring-catch28 out of engagement with the strikerpin m.

To prevent rotation of the axle '1' when the.

gun is in position shown in Fig. 1, I provide a lever-arm 36 upon theaxle 'r and catch 37 engaging therewith. The backward movement of theaxle r when moved by the receiver frees the lever 36 from the spring 7free to revolve. A handle 38 may be fixed to the lever 36 'for operatingthe mechanism by hand to get the cartridges into the required positions,as

shown in Fig. 1. In this case the springcatch 37 is depressed and thehandle 38 operated to work the bolt e backward and for ward. By thismeans the cartridges are fed from the bandoleer through the gun withoutthe risk'of" being fired so long as the lever x is not depressed. Thecartridges are caused to occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1, andautomatic firing may be then brought about by depressing the lever ac.

In order that the mechanism may be easily examined or taken apart I,provide the main frame or case p with a hinged lid or cover 29, securedin its closed position by a spring catch 30. The rear end 3, of the mainframe a spring-Y .or caseis arranged to slide vertically in and alsohandles, as 31.

ni'd 2:

and is secured'in position by the hinged cover when rnjits closedposition. The rear end y carries the firing-lever wand spring-catch 27mechanism is arranged on a frame 1.9,which is guidedb rooves in the mainframe and w b may be removed when the hinged cover 29 is open. To allowof the removal of the receiver 1) and bolt 6, slots32 are providedin themain frame,extending in a backward direction and covered by slidingdoors or shutters 33, which may be withdrawn after removing the rear endy of the main frame. By this means the whole mechanism is secured inposition by one spring-catch, which, however, is not many way strainedby the operation of firing. The receiver 1) maybe separated from thebarrel'n byslacking the bolt 34.

The method of introducing cartridges in stages hereinbefore describedmay also be apmovement of the bolt the cartridge is located in the sameor nearly the same plane as left by the pressing device and clear of theextracted cartridge, and means for forcing the cartridge from itsintermediate position-into the chamber of the barrel by the next. for-.sif ormed inthe s'ides of the main frames The cartridge-feed wardmovement of the bolt, substantially as described. i

2. In an automatic gun, in combination with a receiver and barrelarranged to recoil on firingthe gun and a bolt sliding within thereceiver, andwithdrawn by the action of an axle having crank-arms and acam-lever engaging a fixed stop, a second cam-lever on,

said axle, and second fixed stop for, returning the bolt on the forwardstroke of the receiver, the said axle moving withthe receiver,substantially as described.

In an automatic gun and in combination,

a receiver, a sliding bolt carried thereby, an

axle also carried by the receiver, and connected with the bolt,cam-levers on the axle,-

l'ixed stops onthe casing, an operating leverarm ,and a spring-retainingcatch therefor,

substantially as described.

t. In an automatic'gnn, in combination with a receiver and belt, acartridge-s11 pport- ,ing ledge or ledges within the receiver, a cantridge-directing incline,.and a cartridge-injecting spring-pawl carriedon the bolt, substa n tially as described.

.511 an automatic gun, in combination with cartridge-feeding mechanismcomprising a siide, a lever having a slot, partly radial,

and partly circumferential and connected to the said slide; an armattached to the pivoting axis of said lever, and an actuating projectionupon the, receiver, substantially as described.

in witness whereof I have hereunto Bet any.

hand inpresence of twe witnesses.

' EDWARD 'Wlbiillllii LEKDERSUN. Witnesses: v

Enwsnn Messrs, has E. PiALMER.

